Tag: australia

WINDHOEK: Australia romped to a nine wicket win over Sri Lanka to top Group C, while Bangladesh secured a place in the Super Six stage of the ICC U19 World Cup with a seven-wicket win over USA on Friday.

In group A, Australia sealed a commanding win over Sri Lanka after bowling the Islanders for just 58.

The defending champions chased down the partly target in 12 overs, losing only wicket in the process.

Nitesh Samuel scored 19 from 40 and Steven Hogan hit three boundaries for his 28 from 27 deliveries.

For Sri Lanka, Rasith Nimsara was the solitary wicket taker.

With this victory, Australia topped the group with three wins out of three games.

Earlier, put into bat first, Will Byrom’s five wicket haul skittled Sri Lanka for 58 in 18.5 overs.

Australia pacer Charles Lachmund and Will Byrom inflicted a miserable start on Sri Lanka as they were reduced to 3-3 in 3.2 overs.

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The wickets continued to tumble for Sri Lanka as none of their batters could got going. Chamika Heenatigala top-scored for his side with 14 from 21` balls.

In Groub fixture, Bangladesh secured a comprehensive seven wicket win over USA to seal their Super Six spot.

Put into bat first, USA were bowled out for 199 in their 50 overs.

Adnit Jhamb remained the highest scorer for his side, managing 68 off 69 with the help of a six and three fours.

For Bangladesh, Iqbal Hossain Emon remained the standout bowler with three wickets. Al Fahad, Shahriar Ahmed and Rizan Hossan shared six wickets between them.

In reply, Bangladesh chased down the target in 41.3 overs, losing three wickets in the process.

Skipper Azizul Hakim top scored with 64 from 82, hittig two fours and same number of maximums. Zawad Abrar was the other notable contributor, striking three sixes and five fours in his knock of 47 from 42 balls.

For USA, Ritvik Appidi, Utkarsh Srivastava and Sahil Garg picked up one wicket each.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday named a 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Australia, starting on 29 January.

The series will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, from 29 January to 1 February. The games will start at 4pm PKT with the coin toss set to take place at 3.30pm PST.

Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi have returned to the T20I squad after missing the three-match away series against Sri Lanka in January.

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Shadab Khan will continue to build on his comeback in the previous T20I series and will form part of a strong spin-bowling contingent along with Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz and Usman Tariq.

Pakistan squad and player support personnel are expected to convene in Lahore on Saturday, 24 January and will begin their preparations for the series the following day.

Australia are set to arrive in Pakistan on Wednesday, 28 February and will play just their second series in the format on Pakistan soil after a solitary T20I in April 2022 at Gaddafi Stadium.

Pakistan squad for Australia series

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq

Player support personnel: Naveed Akram Cheema (team manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Shane McDermott (fielding coach), Hanif Malik (batting coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (performance analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmed (media manager), Lt. Col. (r) Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor), Dr Raheel Karim (psychiatrist) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur)

READ: New Zealand fast bowler ruled out of T20 World Cup 2026

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday confirmed the schedule for the three-match home T20I series against Australia.

The three-match T20I series will take place on 29, 31 January and 1 February at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Australia’s T20I squad will arrive in Lahore on Wednesday, 28 January. The coin toss in all three matches is set to take place at 5.30 pm PST (Pakistan Standard Time) with the first ball expected to be bowled at 6:00 pm PST.

The series serves as crucial game time for both sides ahead of the all-important ICC Men’s T20I World Cup 2026, where Pakistan are placed in Group A and Australia in Group B.

This will also be Australia’s third trip to Pakistan since March-April 2022, when they played a three-match Test and ODI series followed by a solitary T20I.

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They played three of their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 matches in the country as well.

Australia bagged a close three-wicket win in the only T20I they played at the Gaddafi Stadium on 5 April 2022

“We are excited and look forward to hosting Australia for the three-match T20I series here in Lahore,” said COO PCB, Sumair Ahmed Syed.

“The tour marks a blockbuster beginning of the year for Pakistan Cricket fans, and I urge them to turn out in numbers during the series to support both the teams as they put the final touches to their T20 World Cup preparations.

“I’m sure the Gaddafi Stadium has become a familiar sight for the Australian Cricket team as they have played a Test, five ODIs and a T20I here since March 2022.”

Pakistan vs Australia series schedule

• 1st T20I – Thursday, 29 January – 6pm PKT
• 2nd T20I – Saturday, 31 January – 6pm PKT
• 3rd T20I – Sunday, 1 February – 6pm PKT

READ: U19 Warm-Up: Minhas shines in Pakistan’s victory over USA

Australia were dealt a worrying blow on Tuesday ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after ace all-rounder Marcus Stoinis was forced to retire hurt during the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 fixture.

Stoinis, 36, is part of Australia’s 15-member provisional squad for the forthcoming mega event and is currently leading the Melbourne Stars in the BBL.

The right-hander came out to bat with the Stars struggling at 43-3 in 8.3 overs while chasing a modest 84-run target.

The skipper made 23 of 20 balls with the help of a six and a boundary before a short of a good length ball from Jamie Overton hit his thumb during the 14th over of the game, with Stars requiring just two runs to win.

 

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After the blow, Stoinis immediately removed the glove and signalled for the physio. He eventually left the field and later provided an update on his injury during the post-match presentation, noting that a scan was needed.

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“I think I’ll probably be getting the scan, but I think it’s okay,” he said.

“Just sort of precautionary at the end, when you’re right near the end of an innings, I think. Initially, it feels like nothing, and then after about 10 seconds, you feel something.

And it’s probably just not worth the risk at that stage of the game, I guess. And to be honest, their boys were really good. Lynny [Chris Lynn] and Shorty [Matt Short] came up and said, mate, get off. You’ve got two runs to go, so get off. So right decision in the end,” Stoinis concluded.

Provisional Australian squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

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SYDNEY: Australia won the final Ashes Test against England by five wickets on Thursday to seal a dominant 4-1 victory after a gruelling series, sending the retiring Usman Khawaja out on a high.

The nervy hosts saw wickets tumble as they chased their 160 target, which they reached after lunch on day five with Cameron Green not out 22 and Alex Carey on 16 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

For England, it was the final chapter in a miserable series.

Australia lost openers Travis Head (29) and Jake Weatherald (34), along with captain Steve Smith (12) and Khawaja, who made six in his final knock before retirement.

Marnus Labuschagne, dropped on 20, compiled 37 before needlessly running himself out to give Ben Stokes’s men a flicker of hope as they reduced Australia to 121-5.

But victory was never seriously in doubt after England were dismissed for 342 on the back of Jacob Bethell’s stylish 154.

Defeat ended a long tour for the visitors that quickly turned into a horror show when they lost the opening two Tests in Perth and Brisbane by eight wickets and the third at Adelaide by 82 runs.

Stokes’s side had arrived confident they could win their first series in Australia since 2010-11 amid taunts about the hosts having their worst side in 15 years.

Facing heavy criticism over their preparations, discipline and ultra-aggressive “Bazball” style of cricket, they rallied to pull off a stunning four-wicket comeback win in the fourth Test in Melbourne.

It was their first victory in 18 Tests on Australian soil and restored some pride, but another loss in Sydney, albeit close, will see them face a tough inquisition on their return home with coach Brendon McCullum’s job on the line.

Australia achieved their success despite being without pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood for the series and skipper Pat Cummins for all but one Test, while veteran spin king Nathan Lyon played a limited role.

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Nearly 860,000 fans watched the series, with a record 211,032 through the turnstiles in Sydney.

Tempers flared earlier on day five when Weatherald survived a review for caught behind on 16 despite the controversial Snicko technology, which has been unreliable all series, appearing to indicate a faint murmur.

An angry Brydon Carse had to be pulled away from complaining to the on-field umpire by Stokes, and the bowler exchanged heated words with Weatherald.

England finally got their reward when Head swiped Tongue to Carse at midwicket and Weatherald top-edged the same bowler to Matthew Potts.

Smith was bamboozled by a turning ball by spinner Will Jacks, and Khawaja, after being given a guard of honour by England when he walked out for the final time, played on.

England resumed on 302-8 with a 119-run advantage and added 40.

Precocious number three Bethell, trumpeted as the future of English cricket, padded up on 142 with Potts yet to score.

He reached 150 before edging Mitchell Starc to wicketkeeper Carey to end a breakthrough innings, with his marathon 265-ball stay including 15 fours.

Tongue was the last man out for six, again to Starc, with Potts unbeaten on 18.

It was Starc’s 31st wicket of the series, more than any other bowler.

Australia were all out for 567 in their first innings on Wednesday on the back of centuries from Head and Smith in reply to the tourists’ 384, built on Joe Root’s 160.

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SYDNEY: Rock-solid Jacob Bethell plundered a chanceless maiden century on Wednesday as England reeled in Australia, then built a tenuous 119-run lead to leave the fifth and final Ashes Test on a knife-edge.

By stumps on day four at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), the tourists were 302-8 with Bethell not out 142 and Matthew Potts yet to score.

The 22-year-old Bethell saved the day after Zak Crawley fell early and veteran Joe Root cheaply, powering to his hundred in style off 162 balls.

But wickets tumbled around him with Harry Brook (42) and Will Jacks (0) removed in the space of three balls by the part-time off-spin of Beau Webster two overs after Bethell reached the landmark.

A calamitous mix-up then saw Jamie Smith (24) run out.

Ben Stokes (1) came in at seven after limping off clutching what appeared to be his groin while bowling the third over of the day, but only lasted five balls with Webster again doing the damage.

England are desperate for another morale-boosting win after victory in the previous Test at Melbourne. Australia lead 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes.

Remarkably, it was not just Bethell’s maiden Test ton but the only one he has scored in red-ball cricket, with his previous best 96 against New Zealand.

Bethell was recalled for Melbourne to replace the under-performing Ollie Pope, scoring a gritty 40 in difficult batting conditions, with the number three position now his to lose.

His exploits came after the hosts were dismissed for 567 before lunch on the back of Travis Head’s 163 and 138 from skipper Steve Smith. That left England chasing a 183-run deficit after their first innings of 384.

They needed a solid start, but chief tormentor Mitchell Starc once again conjured up a first-over breakthrough, his 29th wicket for the series.

The pace spearhead delivered a beautiful inswinger that Crawley misjudged and left, with the ball smacking his pads, and he was out lbw for one.

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Fellow opener Ben Duckett was dropped on 38, but failed to capitalise and was bowled by Michael Neser on 42, his highest score in a wretched series.

Root, fresh from his first innings of 160, was terrorised by Starc and Neser. He finally fell lbw after facing 37 balls for his six runs to the relentless Scott Boland, with the 35-year-old trudging off dejected.

But Jacob Bethell proved unmovable. A single off Neser overhauled Australia’s lead soon after tea, and the youngster passed three figures emphatically with a cracking boundary through midwicket.

But Webster then swung the momentum back to Australia with his double strike, trapping Brook lbw before Jacks inexplicably holed out to Cameron Green in the deep.

Jamie Smith’s run-out compounded England’s problems, the wicketkeeper-batter setting off for a single but sent back by Bethell and caught well short by Jake Weatherald’s throw.

Stokes edged Webster to Smith in the slips with Brydon Carse doing the same off Boland on 16.

Earlier, Australia resumed Day 4 at 518-7, with Steve Smith on 129 after his 13th Ashes century and Webster on 42.

Smith flogged Stokes through the covers for a boundary in his first over, while Webster dished out similar treatment to Carse.

But the Australia skipper did not last long, nicking a fuller length delivery from Josh Tongue to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Webster reached a fifth half-century in his eighth Test with a single and put on 20 with Starc before the big paceman was bowled by Tongue for five.

Boland suffered a golden duck to leave Webster unbeaten on 71. Tongue ended with 3-97 and Carse 3-130.

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SYDNEY: Run-machine Travis Head hit a swashbuckling 163 and Steve Smith a composed unbeaten 129 as Australia built a 134-run lead over England to seize control on day three of the fifth and final Ashes Test on Tuesday.

It was a destructive opener Head’s third ton of the series, to go with the phenomenal match-winning 123 he made in Perth and 170 at Adelaide.

Smith was equally impressive, with his first hundred of the series driving the hosts to 518-7 by stumps at a packed Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in reply to England’s 384.

Beau Webster was alongside him on 42 at the close.

Australia lead the series 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes, with England desperate for another morale-boosting win after victory at the previous Test in Melbourne.

Head brought up three figures off just 105 balls and seemed destined to score 200.

But he came undone in the third over after lunch by the part-time spin of Jacob Bethell, who was bowling for the first time in the series.

In his second over, Bethell trapped the 32-year-old lbw attempting a sweep shot to end a magnificent knock.

Skipper Smith treated Bethell with contempt, launching him for a big six on his way to a 37th Test hundred.

It was Smith’s 13th Ashes century to move past England legend Jack Hobbs. Only Donald Bradman with 19 has more.

Usman Khawaja, in his 88th and last Test after announcing his retirement, fell lbw to Brydon Carse for 17 while Alex Carey made 16 before Josh Tongue enticed an edge.

Nightwatchman Michael Neser made 24 and Cameron Green 37.

Head resumed on 91 and Neser on one after Jake Weatherald (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (48) were out on Monday.

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Head clattered an early midwicket boundary off Ben Stokes and reached three figures with his 17th four, crunched through the covers from Tongue, windmilling his bat in celebration.

It was his 12th century and first in Sydney to cement his reputation as one of the game’s most versatile batsmen.

Head only moved to the top of the order in the second innings of the first Test in Perth due to Khawaja’s back injury, but he has made the position his own.

With his hundred secure, he banged three straight fours off Matthew Potts then had a massive let-off on 121 when he pulled Carse and Will Jacks dropped a sitter near the ropes.

Neser ably stuck around for 90 balls to foil England, who wasted their last two reviews on him.

Batting like a top-order batsman, he smacked four boundaries before getting a thin edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off Carse.

Smith, on 12, was dropped at leg slip by Zak Crawley but safely made it to lunch and passed 50 with a drive down the ground.

When Khawaja departed, Carey produced a series of textbook strokes before being dismissed in similar fashion to his last two Tests.

Unruffled, Smith slammed Stokes to the ropes for four to put Australia in the lead for the first time and, steely eyed, kept going to yet another stylish century.

All-rounder Green came into the Test under increasing pressure after failing to fire with either bat or ball through the series, with his automatic selection being questioned.

He produced a glorious cover drive and a big six to show flashes of what he can do.

But he then needlessly spooned Carse to Ben Duckett in the deep to throw away his wicket.

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SYDNEY: An imperious Joe Root hit a magnificent 160 to drive England to 384 in the fifth and final Ashes Test on Monday before Travis Head let rip to haul Australia back into the contest with a quick unbeaten 91.

Root’s superb innings, his 41st ton to match Ricky Ponting, was only ended courtesy of a brilliant caught-and-bowled by Michael Neser, who finished with 4-60.

Australia were left to negotiate the final session of day two at a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground, which they did for the loss of Jake Weatherald (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (48).

By stumps, the hosts had raced to 166-2 with nightwatchman Neser on one alongside Head.

Weatherald, who needed a big score to stave off the critics, again failed to live up to expectations since making his debut at the first Test in Perth.

He was dropped twice in the space of three balls, by Root and then Ben Duckett, before Ben Stokes trapped him lbw.

But Head, who, like Root, has slammed two centuries in the ongoing Ashes, was in the zone.

He clattered three boundaries off the second over from Matthew Potts, in the side for the injured Gus Atkinson, and there was no let-up, blitzing a quickfire 50 off 55 balls.

Labuschagne was also in good touch, stroking seven boundaries before thick-edging Stokes to Jacob Bethell at gully.

Australia lead the series 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes, with England desperate for another win after victory at the previous Test in Melbourne.

England resumed at 211-3 but lost Harry Brook (84), Stokes (0) and Jamie Smith (46) before lunch.

Will Jacks (27), Brydon Carse (1) and Josh Tongue (0), along with Root, departed in the second session.

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The day belonged to Root, who started on 72 and reached an almost chanceless century off 146 balls to reaffirm his status as an all-time great.

The 35-year-old had begun the series under pressure after failing to make a hundred in Australia over three previous Ashes tours.

He snapped the drought with an unbeaten 138 in the day-night Test at Brisbane, and his exploits in Sydney drew him level third with Australia’s Ponting on the all-time century-makers’ list, with 41.

Only India’s Sachin Tendulkar (51) and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis (45) have scored more Test centuries.

Root and Brook came together with England in trouble at 57-3 on Sunday, with both eyeing big centuries on an ideal batting deck.

But Brook only lasted five balls on Monday, adding six to his overnight 78 before dabbing at a Scott Boland delivery and edging into the safe hands of Steve Smith at slip.

It ended a 169-run partnership, not just England’s best of the series but the biggest by either team, surpassing Head and Alex Carey’s 162 in Adelaide.

Stokes only survived 11 balls before getting the faintest of edges off Mitchell Starc to Carey.

Jamie Smith lived dangerously and was fortunate to survive after chipping Cameron Green to Labuschagne at cover on 22. He began walking off, but replays showed Green overstepped, and it was a no-ball.

He added another 24 before medium-pacer Labuschagne bagged him in his first over.

The run rate slowed significantly after lunch when the new ball was taken, but Root persisted, passing 150 for a 17th time, just one behind the legendary Don Bradman and three short of Tendulkar.

He and Jacks put on 52 for the seventh wicket until Jacks sent a leading edge to Green in the gully off Neser. Root was the ninth man out, and Tongue followed without any addition to the score.

READ: Joe Root equals Ricky Ponting’s record in fifth Ashes Test

Former Australia batter Damien Martyn has awoken from an induced coma following meningitis, ex-teammate Adam Gilchrist said on Sunday in a statement on behalf of Martyn’s family.

Martyn, 54, fell seriously ill last week and was rushed to the hospital.

He was diagnosed with meningitis — an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Now, former wicket-keeper batter Adam Gilchrist provided an update regarding his health, calling his recovery a ‘miracle.’

“It’s been an unbelievable turn of events in the last 48 hours,” Gilchrist said. “He is now able to talk and respond to treatment.”

“He has responded extraordinarily well since coming out of the coma to the point where his family feels it’s like some sort of miracle,” he added.

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He remained hopeful of moving the batter out of the ICU amid speedy recovery.

“It has been so positive that they’re hopeful he will be able to move out of the ICU into another part of the hospital, which is representative of what a great recovery it’s been and how quickly it has flipped around.

He’s in good spirits and overwhelmed by the support. There is still some treatment and monitoring to go, but it’s looking positive,” he concluded.

For the unversed, Damien Martyn represented Australia in 67 Tests and 208 ODIs between 1992 and 2006.

He remained part of Australia’s triumph in the 2003 ODI World Cup. The right-hander played a pivotal role in the final against India alongside skipper Ricky Ponting, scoring an unbeaten 88*.

Damien Martyn called time on his international career during the 2006 Ashes and has kept a low profile since.

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SYDNEY: Australia’s ace pacers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are likely to miss the three-match T20I series against Pakistan ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Although the ace duo is included in the World Cup squad, the fitness of both bowlers has raised doubts over their participation.

Cummins has made one appearance in the third Ashes Test after recovering from a back injury, while Hazlewood, who was ruled out of the Ashes after the opening match, is recovering from an Achilles injury.

Australia’s chair of selectors, George Bailey expressed confidence over Hazlewood and Tim David’s fitness ahead of the mega event.

“I don’t think they [Cummins and Hazlewood] will be available for the Pakistan series [three T20Is in January], but I think both should be online [for the World Cup],” Bailey told reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

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He shed light on Pat Cummins and stated that the latter could play in the second half of the World Cup just like Travis Head did in the ODI World Cup during 2023.

“Patty might be a bit later; that might be a similar sort of situation to Travis Head in the 50-over World Cup, where there’s an entry point at some point.

Hopefully, we can manage and carry a squad until that point. I think Hoff [Hazlewood] should be right by the start, think Tim David should be right by the start,” he said.

He also revealed that the Big Bash League (BBL) players will also come into consideration for the inclusion in the squad for the Pakistan series.

Australia squad for T20 World Cup 2026

Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

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